interviewing strategies career counseling and support services 1640 neil avenue, 2 nd floor younkin...

Interviewing StrategiesCareer Counseling and Support Services

1640 Neil Avenue, 2nd Floor

Younkin Success Center

(614) 688-3898

ccss.osu.edu

To learn proven strategies for the different types of interviews.

To have an understanding of what skills and experiences employers are looking for in candidates.

To learn how to formulate answers to frequently asked questions.

Career Counseling and Support Services

Objectives

• The importance of research!• Find out who will be interviewing• Review common interview questions• Generate and rehearse stories• Develop questions for them• Remember your references• Know where you are going• Dress professionally• Know your interviewers names• Plan ahead for contingencies!


Step 1: Before the Interview

• Show up on time and prepared

• EVERYONE is interviewing you

• Direct eye contact, warm smile, firm handshake

• Mental connections lead to physical connections, you will radiate a positive attitude if you believe so

• Remember, small talk is big talk: avoid potentially divisive topics


Step 2: Positive First Impression

• Credentials (Skills and Accomplishments)

• Motivation (Why them and clear career goals)

• Fit (Potential for work environment and collegiality)

• Salary and Benefits


Step 2: What Employers are Looking For

• Tell me, how does your past experience relate to the present job?

• What are your major strengths?

• What are your areas of professional growth?

• Tell me a situation when you demonstrated ____ skills?

*Check handouts for sample questions


What SKILLS do You Have? Can You do the Job?

Back up skill with experience (story telling) + portfolio

How do you tell your story? SAR technique (Scenario + action + result)

You can expect to demonstrate the skill by performing (i.e. teaching a class)

Weakness question:

Answer with a similar skill and back it up with a story

Answer with SAR technique and go to the future

Clueless? Tell story when you learn something new in a job

Tone of the interview: What can you do for the employer?


Demonstrating your Skills = Answer Question + Back it up with story+ Connect to employer/program needs

• What makes you think you would like to work in this company?

• You’ve seen our mission statement. How would you see yourself contributing to our mission?

• What makes you think that you would be able to grow with us?

• What do you know about our program?

• What attracted you to this company?

• Describe your goals and plans for professional development


Employers’ Expectations: MotivationWould you do this Job?

• Do your homework: research the company (mission, products, services, annual reports)

• Have clear career goals, both short and long term


Demonstrating Motivation

• What’s your ideal work environment?

• What would frustrate me the most of working with you in a team?

• What will be the positives of having you as a colleague

• What will you do if you encounter a challenging situation at work?

• How would your previous supervisor describe you?


Employer’s Expectations: PersonalityWould You Fit in with this

Organization

• Ideal work environment

• Personal strengths and weaknesses (take your strengths to the extreme)

• Ideal Colleagues

• Ideal Supervisors

• Conflict question

• Off the wall questions


Demonstrating Personality


Skills Skills ~ Key wordsAnswer + Story + Connect with Company’s needsLearning story = weaknessTo tell story use SAR technique(Scenario + Action + Results)(JFK ) = What you can offer

Motivation

Research the companyDo your homework ~ Key words

Goals ~ Short and Long Term

Fit

5+ 5-

Ideal Work EnvironmentColleaguesAdministrators

ConflictOff the wall

$

Salary Negotiation

• You can answer the questions; however, you are giving information that is not related to the job.

• You can refuse to answer the question; but you run the risk of coming off as confrontational

• May re-phrase, “What’s the relationship between by ___ and the job requirements?

• You can examine the question for its real intent and respond with an answer as it might apply to the job


Interviewing Tips: Handling Illegal Questions

Inquiry Area: National Origin

- Illegal Question: Are you a U.S. Citizen?

- Legal Question: Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?

Inquiry Area: Marital/Partner/Family Status

- Illegal Question: Whom do you live with? How many kids do you have?

- Legal Question: Would you be willing to relocate if necessary?


Interviewing Tips: Handling Illegal Questions

Preparation by researching the organization and it’s

needs

+

Formulation and practice of your answers

+

Know Yourself and know what you want

___________________

CONFIDENT

INTERVIEWING


Building Confident Interviewing

Consider using these techniques

The Parrot TechniqueRepeat back the question using your own words

The Delay TechniqueReflect the question back

Educating the EmployerCannot have lunch because you are fasting, offer alternatives!

• Briefly reiterate your interest and qualifications

• Ask about next steps (who, when, and how are they going to follow up)

• Ask for a business card from all interviewers


Step 4: Closing with Finesse

• Take notes immediately after

• ALWAYS send a thank you letter

• Anticipate a second interview

• Review the job carefully and prepare to respond to an offer

• Call if you have not heard anything and the deadline has passed

• Don’t burn bridges… EVER!


Step 4: Interview Follow-Up


Questions?

interviewing strategies career counseling and support services 1640 neil avenue, 2 nd floor younkin...

Documents

support services step

benefits career counseling

support services objectives

motivation slide

interview slide

long term career counseling

impression slide

story answer